Category Archives: Uncategorized

30. Whither the Weather?

Don’t be put off by the title. It just happens to be the heading of a report produced last year by a meteorological office. Loosely translated it could mean ‘where is the weather going?’ Or, to put it more directly, what on earth is happening to the weather? Today, in rural NSW, the temperature startedContinue reading “30. Whither the Weather?”

29. Saints and sinners

If we had told you that we were going to see a sample of the blood and some strands of hair of someone long dead you might think this at least bizarre and, at most, macabre. This is precisely what Madame and I did today, Saturday 22 October 2022. The occasion was the installation ofContinue reading “29. Saints and sinners”

28. ‘Rain, rain go away….

…………come again another day. We want to go outside and play. Come again some other day’. Well, it did and it did; go away and come again, that is. The previous post six months ago (was it really that long ago?) was about never-ending rain, wind and floods; the TV news tonight is more ofContinue reading “28. ‘Rain, rain go away….”

27. Beach closed

The few hardy surfers might find it exhilarating but loss of life and the damage paint a different picture in this ‘Premier State’. Since our arrival five weeks ago it has, apart from a week on the beach, rained, but not just ordinary rain. Forget ‘cats and dogs’ and stair rods’ this is tropical, verticalContinue reading “27. Beach closed”

26. Who’s for tennis?

Madame and I no longer play tennis, but would it have helped us to move Down Under? Obviously not is the answer. At the time of writing Novak has been released from his less than ***** hotel, but is being threatened with deportation, reconfinement – and worse by angry Aussie citizens. What has this toContinue reading “26. Who’s for tennis?”

25. Castraters wanted

      Offre d’emploi      Cherche castreurs    âge minimum 16 ans période à partir du 25 juillet Advertisements like this pop up in the local papers at this time of year. Aimed mainly at students they target those with transport, particularly scooters which kids can ride at 14 (after training of course). The maize fields canContinue reading “25. Castraters wanted”

24. Loosening the chains?

It has to be said that the daily number of visitors to these posts can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Four yesterday was a good day. It’s not the quantity that intrigues me so much as the quality. What would a visitor in Alaska have in common with one in Bulgaria? TheContinue reading “24. Loosening the chains?”

23. Selling your house?

The stress of buying a house is so endemic that a survey found that a third of Americans are reduced to tears when purchasing their first property. Were they tears of joy at owning their first love nest, or distress at what they were going to have to pay the mortgage company for the foreseeableContinue reading “23. Selling your house?”

22. Round and around we go

Yesterday was a red letter day. Madame and I were summoned to the sous-prefecture with instructions to bring passports and new photos and with a tacit understanding that our hands should be clean for the inevitable fingerprinting. This was the second stage of our application to renew the vital carte de séjour, without which FranceContinue reading “22. Round and around we go”